Arranged Marriage
by Cathola
Summary: The two covens, Bennett and Gemini, are destined to be united by the marriage of a son of Gemini and a daughter of Bennett. An unwanted marriage, a heavyhearted bride and an unknown groom. The perfect ingredients for a catastrophe.
1. The wedding

For decades, you might even say centuries, has the Gemini coven been tied to the Bennett coven in one way or another. The blood that run in their veins shall, and must, at some point unite. A son from Bennett will marry a daughter from Gemini, and a daughter of Bennett marry a son of Gemini. The magic that binds them together is magic no one can oppose.  
So when the day a son of Gemini was born, a hot summers eve, both families waited for the daughter of Bennett that would fit the boy...

It was a cold night in February when the world, for the first time, heard the screams of the Bennett witch. Her small body was held by her caring mother, the child watching the new world with big, green eyes. Like any child Bonnie Bennett was oblivious about her fate, and happily giggled in her mothers arms. Silence fell and the night covered in stars was already writing the names of the children in the book of Destiny. Writing how the daughter of Bennett, a child of February, and the son of Gemini, a child of June, would be fated to meet and be tied together.

* * *

Bonnie Bennett, the witch of the coven Bennett, is sitting outside, enjoying the sun. The sunlight makes her glow and the sight of her would've made anyone gasp. The white dress she wears make her curves very tantalizing, but no one can see her. No one is _allowed_ to see her.  
It's not like she has been a bad girl, _a naughty girl_, the reason why she is locked up was the agreement her family made with Gemini. The covens have a fear, not entirely without reason, that she would run away from the union. In fact, Bonnie thought the thought of running away multiple times over the years, but she wouldn't be able to come very far, which makes an attempt to flee quite silly and would give her more problem than good.

Her husband-to-be is a man she has never talked to, barley seen at all. The glimpses of him gave her information about two things: he is dangerously handsome and he's very tall.  
The height difference doesn't bother Bonnie, quite the opposite actually, but the height difference doesn't make her situation better. How, for the love of God, can she marry someone she hasn't even met? What if he's a bad man, an evil man, that makes a bad husband and father?

The sun is now covered by clouds, a sadness lingering in her heart. The beautiful day is coming to an end and making her realize how soon she will have to meet her fiance for the first time. The families decided to have the ceremony at 3 am, when the moon is at its most powerful position, and by 3.30 will Bonnie be married. For three months have nightmares haunted her about her arranged marriage, and if you can have cold feet for an arranged marriage then you could say Bonnie's feet are more like ice cubes than human. But the responsibility she feels for her family forces her to accept her fate – and if her fate is to marry the Gemini then she will.  
She must. She will.

* * *

The time is 2.57 am and Bonnie has never been more nervous than what she is at this very moment.  
The fabric of her traditional dress, a white dress with long sleeves, a decorated bodice and a cleavage that shows more than what she thinks is appropriate, is flattering to her body but it's very uncomfortable and is choking her. She has no flowers or veil; something that would have been useful to cover her frightened face.

The ceremony is held in the forest, the night smelling of fire and wine; wine being poured down two hundred witches throats. The most beautiful moon hangs over their heads, making the both leaders of the covens happy with its appearance.  
Her husband-to-be is not visible from were she is standing – behind a tree – and Bonnie sighs of relief.

Her legs feel numb and her hands are sweating, when she notices this she quickly wipes it off on her dress hoping that she won't have to hold someones hand.

A horn disrupts the silence, giving her the sign that she has to move – an action that seems impossible with her numb legs. Slowly walking, with baby-steps so she won't fall and embarrass herself, she walks down the "aisle"; an aisle made of rose petals leading her toward her fiance – as if she wouldn't be able to find him without it. She doesn't dare to look up at the faces in the crowd or on the Gemini she is going to marry, so she gazes down at her shoes instead and crosses her fingers in a pray to whoever that listens that she won't fall, trip on her clumsy feet.

She stops when she is standing in front of the leaders of each coven, the leaders are the ones that will pronounce her a wife of Gemini. Slowly she lifts her gaze and stares at her husband-to-be. Her breathing is uneven and her heart is thumping in her chest in the speed of the wings of a hummingbird.  
The man standing in front of her is so handsome that he can only be compared to an angel. His gray eyes are watching her, emotionless. No feelings are shown on his face, empty eyes and a mouth  
relaxed; no smile seen or tension exposing if he's nervous.

"Do you, Malachai Parker of the Gemini coven, accept Bonnie Bennett of the Bennett family as your wife, protect her from all evil in sickness and in health?" the man speaking has a powerful voice and Bonnie gets the impression that it seems very hard to say no to that man. The speaker, a Gemini, has gray hair and wrinkles telling her his high age and wisdom.

"I do", Malachai answers; the two words said as if he's discussing the weather – not their future together.

"And do you, Bonnie Bennett of the Bennett family, accept Malachai Parker of the Gemini coven as your husband, protect him from evil in sickness and in health?"

Fear is flowing in her veins and her tongue won't move; just being a useless lump of flesh. Her eyes darts from face to face in the crowd, landing on her mothers. Her mother gives her a small smile; encouraging her to speak.

"I-" she breathe in and out before she speaks again. "I do."

Another coven leader gives Malachai a knife. Panic fills her before she remembers what is happening.  
Like almost every spell, the binding between two covens will be with blood from both parties.  
Malachai puts the blade in his hand and slices it wide open, letting the blood flow down his palm and arm, and hands the knife over to her. Bonnie takes it in her petite hand and feels the cold metal against her palm. Without hesitation – nothing to lose – she repeats the steps and slams her hand against her husbands.

Bonnie doesn't notice when her husband leans forward and puts his mouth against her hear before he starts to whisper.

"You, little witch, have _no_ idea who you just married." He gives her a wicked grin. "I am a devil in disguise, the big bad wolf and I will surely-" he nibbles on her earlobe. "swallow you whole."  
The smirk he grants her chocked face is nothing but devilish, eyes burning with a fire and emotions she can't tell.  
Her eyes are wide open in chock and panic, sweat running down her back.

_Who the _hell_ did she just marry?_


	2. Have A Great Life

You know the feeling when you come home and realize that the house is empty, that you're all alone? The great feeling that you could do anything you desire without anyone judging you or stopping you?  
That exact feeling was something Bonnie has felt many times, but now, when she's all alone and away from her family and the few friends she had, it wasn't as great anymore.

But the gigantic problem with her situation is one thing: she's actually not completely alone.

An unwanted marriage, a heavyhearted bride and an unknown groom.  
The perfect ingredients for a catastrophe.

Her husband is at the moment no where to be found, and Bonnie tries to breathe in and out to calm her heart. Her palms are sweaty and traces of blood is still left on her smooth skin.

People are walking past her in a blur of colors; the words they say are nothing but a background noise. She still has her wedding dress on, the hem dragging in the dirt, as she walks toward her new home.

Her feet are heavy, making her walk slowly, and her eyes are seeing but she can't take it in; she sees but she's still blind. The sound of her dress dragging the leaves with her is the only thing keeping her together; the simple sound of leaves are the only thing not making her go insane.  
'Cause insanity is the next step isn't? When you have lost everything and are married to someone you don't even know; sold as if you were an animal. Does she not have the right to go insane?

People have congratulated her, praised her, for her marriage. Their fake smiles painted on their faces, voices singing words without tone, and cold and distant hugs attacking her.  
Are they happy she's married him? "_Yes, of course we are" _was their answer. The truth? _No._  
But why wouldn't they be happy? Why would they be so distant?

It becomes dark before Bonnie notices that she is not where she should be. The small napkin with directions she got from her father is simple, a few lines showing her the crooks and turns, but she was too absentminded to give it a thought.

* * *

_ The white and red cake is standing right in front of her __on the big table__. She has her fork in her wounded hand, but __she's __careful not to make the wound worse, just enough to give her a little bit of pain so she c__an__ feel alive._

"Bonnie?" _A voice asks her; his authority clearly heard in his deep voice made for a leader._

_She turns around, facing her father, and nods without a word. Her father grabs her small hand in his; he's grabbing it with force, taking the fork out of her hand, which makes small drops of blood beginning to trail down her palm and the back of her hand._

_Her father opens his mouth before closing it, swallowing what ever he actually wanted to say, before he speaks to her again: "Have a great life", and hands her the little napkin, the ink still fresh and wet._

_No tears fall down Bonnie's cheeks. No pain in the chest. Simply four words playing in her mind._

Have a great life.

_Her mother doesn't speak to her __nor does she give her any kind of farewell. The only thing, something that Bonnie will remember forever, __her mother gives her__ is a cold gaze and a back walking away from her.  
_

* * *

The forest is too dark for Bonnie to notice the tall shadow following her, standing behind a big tree, watching her every move.  
How her hands are shaking, the little napkin scrunching in her fist, and how her dress caresses her legs when the wind blows.

The shadow doesn't move, afraid to make a movement that she will see, and continues to stare at her.

Her heart is pounding like a hammer in her chest, a little more force and it would break her ribs, and she feels dizzy. The forest floor is spinning around; the leaves are transforming into a blur of colors. She tries to stumble forward but her legs won't move the way she wants them to; no body part is in her control anymore, like her own body isn't hers. The air around her is cold in her lungs, making a trail of pain down her throat and chest, and leaves her chipping for air. Her eyes are lying

to her; nothing she sees makes sense. Bonnie can't hear a sound besides her own tortured breathing and her mind repeating four words:

_Have a great life_.

The shadow sees her body collapse like a rag doll. Her fall makes the leaves around her fly up into the air before decorating her white dress; the napkin flying away towards the tree where the shadow is standing.

The shadow slowly picks it up, holding it in his palms, and admires the red drops smeared over the ink.

He walks towards the fainted woman lying down on the ground. He tilts his head to the side, examines her with his stare, and bends down. Her face is soft and her mouth is a small "o" when she breathes. The shadow glances down on the napkin once more before he lets it be taken away by the wind and shifts his gaze back to the woman.  
He puts his hands under her knees and her back, lifting her off the ground, and carries her in steady arms. Her warm body is pressed against his chest as he carries her through the forest.

* * *

Her head if groggy but when she sees an unknown ceiling above her she quickly sits up with a now crystal clear mind.

"So you have woken up now, huh?" a voice asks her with a teasing tone. "I almost thought you wouldn't wake up".

Bonnie whips her head towards the man standing in the corner of the room; her mouth open in shock when she sees her husband walking to the bed she is lying in.  
Malachai is grinning at her and sits down on the bed beside her. The window in the room shows her that it's still night, the darkness still holding the world prisoner; she can't have been asleep for more than a few hours.

"Where am I, Malachai?" she asks with a hoarse voice. He tilts his head at her question and taps his chin as a fake gesture that he is thinking how to answer her question.

"Oh, please, Bonnie, call me Kai", he smiles at her. "Or _husband_ if that's what you prefer."  
A wolfish grin is spreading upon his handsome face and the mocking tone in his voice makes her wanna slap that stupid smile off his face. "But back to your question, you are in my house- our house, and that is _our bed_ so if you don't mind-" he stops mid sentence and lies down beside her, and at the same time jumps hard enough to make her lose her balance and fall down flat against the bed again. Bonnie just lies still, afraid and shocked, and looks at him with big eyes.

"So" Kai says and makes the o long. "What are we going to do now?"

Bonnie doesn't do anything, her eyes might have become even bigger than before.  
Kai furrows his eyebrows, but then relaxes and slowly starts to grin at her.

"Oh, Bonnie, what are you thinking?" he teases.

"I wasn't thinking of- what ever you _thought_ I was thinking", she answers with a tightened jaw.

"What ever you say, wife", he exclaims and puts his hands behind his head, making himself very comfortable, with closed eyes.

"Don't call me that", she snaps at him. Kai opens his eyes and glances at her from the corners of his eyes, without turning his head, with raised eyebrows.

"But you are my wife" he explains to her with a tone you normally use to a child. Bonnie clenches her fists and glares at him, unable to speak because of the fire burning in her chest created by his words, hoping that she can kill him by just looking at him.

Kai closes his eyes again; letting Bonnie lie there consumed in her rage.

The only thing keeping Bonnie from jumping at him, straddle him, and strangle him is the fact that he probably was forced into marry her just like she was forced to marry him. Neither of them chose to marry each other; it was a marriage of politics. The two covens marry each other if they decide it's fitting, a decision made the moment the children are born, and if one of the covens broke the promise it would result in consequences no one wants to speak of; the covens would live in a living nightmare.  
Their destinies are already written; the covens need to unite to be powerful enough to be protected and the contract between them makes that possible.  
Bonnie sacrificed herself for her coven by giving up her happiness.

"If you're going to stare at me can you at least think of something else than murdering me in my sleep?" Kai smiles at her and moves closer to her which makes him only a breath away from her.

Her warmth is distracting but Kai manages to divert his thoughts to something else. He is surprised she hasn't jumped out of bed and run away, not that he is complaining though, and grins in amusement. Besides, the little witch lying beside him is adorable when she is angry.  
Her eyes are still big, but they are trying to kill him, make him bleed, and her whole being is shaking; she is the lion protecting her territory and he is the intruder.

After a while she calms down a little bit, still glaring at him, but she is not shaking anymore.  
"Where am I supposed to sleep?" she asks slowly; she is still suspicious of him and his intentions.

Kai smirks, amused, by her question. "Is this not a bed?"

Bonnie stops breathing. "You can't be serious."

"I thought sleeping together, in the same bed, was something married people do", Kai comments.

"Yeah, but this is an _arranged_ marriage, I don't know you!"

Bonnie pulls away, withdrawing from her husband, in sheer panic. She won't sleep beside a man, even though it may be her husband, she doesn't know or know the intentions of.

"I won't do anything to you, Bonnie", Kai sighs and moves away from her, to the edge of the bed, to prove his point.

"I can't know that", she hisses at him. "Don't you have a sofa?"

"_We-_"He corrects her. "-do have a sofa, but I wouldn't sleep on it if I were you."

"Who said that I would be the one sleeping on it? And why not, what's wrong with the sofa?" She asks in suspicion.

"Well, we might or might not have a sofa with burn marks on it", he admits.

"You have a _burned_ sofa?"

"Yeah, that's what I said." He smiles at her even though it's not really something to smile at. Why in hell would you have a burned sofa? "So, Bonnie, do you want to sleep on the right or the left side of the bed?"

Bonnie doesn't answer; she just stares at him in disbelief that he's actually serious. "I take that as the answer that you want the side you have right now", he answers himself. "You don't talk much, huh. Or-" His eyes sparkle in the dark. "-Can it be that you are nervous around me?"

"Don't flatter yourself, Malachai", she warns him. "Can't one of us sleep on the floor?"

Her head feels heavy, so does her eyelids, and she knows she will soon pass out again if she doesn't go to sleep soon. Her whole body feels like it's sore and the stress from the wedding has left her a headache; it's pulsating behind her eye like a ball of pain.

"I wouldn't sleep on t-" Kai begins but she cuts him off.

"'I wouldn't sleep on the floor if I were you'", she mimics him. "And why not?"

He puts his hand on his heart and fakes a pained face to seem hurt. "I just don't want you to get cold, that floor is more or less ice."

"Why is the floor so cold then?" Her eyelid is twitching and her blood is practically boiling.

"I don't have the heat on", he shrugs. "But what I do have is _body_ heat." If she thought his grin could get any bigger than before then she was terribly wrong.

Bonnie massages her forehead trying to relieve some of her headache. She ignores Kai watching her when she takes one of the pillows from the bed and lays it between them.

"Is that supposed to stop me?" He looks at the pillow unimpressed and pokes it with a finger. "If I really wanted to I would just have to roll over it or, even easier, just take it away."

"It makes me feel better so let it be", she barks at him with annoyance. She turns on her side; taking Kai away from her vision. She feels the movement when Kai moves in the bed; a silent sigh escapes her lips. Her heart is thumping and her face shows a pained expression she didn't want to show him before. He stays quiet, to her surprise, but she can feel it in her bones that this night will be a very long one.

"Good night" she whispers to herself quietly. "Have a great life."


	3. The Giant

She has to figure out what kind of man her husband is. _"__You, little witch, have _no_ idea who you just married."_ he said to her when they got married. She married him to protect and be loyal her coven – and she will continue to do that. Even if it means protecting the coven from _him_.

* * *

_"Papa?" __the__ little witch asks. A small hand reaches high to take her fathers hand, but the – for her – gigantic man brushes her affections away. __"Papa? Why do I have to marry that boy?"_

_A sigh. "You know why, Bonnie._"

"_Yes, but- but, papa, I don't want to", she complains._

_The giant gets down on one knee in front of his daughter and puts his hands on her narrow shoulders. "You_ know _why. The coven would cease to exist without this union between us. Gemini is a strong coven – much stronger that Bennett __–__ and they could easily overpower us if they wanted to, __thus__ we need their protection and strength." He sighs. "And remember our destiny, Bonnie. Your marriage is already written and you don't-" He waits for his daughter to finish the sentence._

_"-deny or go against destiny"_, _she whispers._

_"That's my girl", he complements her with a pat on her head. He stands up and becomes once again a giant. "What comes first?"_

_"The coven", she immediately answers._

_Her father praises her with a nod. "Always protect the coven, Bonnie."_

_Protect the coven. No matter what._

* * *

She can hear three things: the sound of the wind outside, her husbands breathing and her own heartbeat.  
Her heart has never failed her, but right now it seems to be a traitor; her stupid heart won't stop beating in this uncomfortable, idiotic and fast pace. She tried to ignore it, let her heart make it's humming in her ears, and go to sleep, but she failed miserably.  
And because of her heart, the traitor, her breathing is abnormal too. Her lungs want more and more air, and, even though they get plenty, they want _more._

Her left hand seems to be burning, pain is like a fire in her palm, but no healing spell seems to work to make the pain stop. She spent a great deal of time trying to cast a spell that will take her pain away, but without success. At least it is not bleeding anymore, no crimson drops are forming a red sea in her hand, however the pain still won't go away. It is unbelievably persistent.

She hasn't dared to move more than an inch at a time, not with the man beside her lying there. His breathing is even, the opposite to Bonnie's, and she can't help herself from being envious of how easily he fell asleep.  
Is he not worried about sleeping with a stranger? He doesn't _know_ her and thus doesn't know what she is capable of. Yet he's sleeping as if he was alone.  
She is lying with her back toward him, so she can't see him; he could be lying there with a knife for all she knows, and she wouldn't know about it before it would be too late.  
_Hopefully he isn't_, she thinks and closes her eyes in a silent prayer to her ancestors.

Her peacefulness, with him sleeping, won't last long, not with the new day creeping in the shadows. Bonnie has no idea of what time it is, but she is pretty sure she has less than two hours left before the sun will be shining in, letting it's light fill the room.

The first thing she should do when she has an opportunity is to find some kind of a weapon she can have under her pillow. A knife, a smaller one that won't get noticed as easily, would be the ultimate choice, but even a sharp pencil would do.

She sighs inside. It's going to be two very long hours...

* * *

"_Booonnie_", whispers a male voice and drags out the "o" in her name. "Rise and shine!"  
Bonnie covers her ears, still half sleeping, with a pillow to block out the sing-song tone the man is using. She mutters a few threats under her breath to make the person that is disturbing her sleep go away, but without success.

"Let me sleep, idiot", she mumbles and takes a firmer grip of the pillow.

"I can't let you do that", the voice continues. "My _wife _can't be sleeping the whole day."

_Wife? _ She is still dazed and her brain feels as if it's made of cotton. Bonnie slowly opens one eye. _Oh shit._ With the speed of light she flies up from the warm and cozy bed and turns her head to look at the man beside her. He gives her a smile that probably is meant to be kind, but she thinks it's more mischievous than anything else. "Oh, shit", she repeats again, this time aloud, with dread clear in her voice.

Malachai, her husband, puts one hand to his chest – where his heart would have been if he had one – and pretends to be hurt by her words. "Is this how I am supposed to be treated?" he says with a theatrical voice. "'_Oh, shit_' she says when she sees my face, how am I to interpret that?" her husband whispers as if he was speaking a monologue from a sad play.

Bonnie only stares at her spouse and his one-man show.

"I feel like crying – even though I promised myself not to cry", he continues and starts to wipe away non-existent tears.

She can only roll her eyes at him. "Are you done?"

Kai stands up without a word. It twitches in the corners of his mouth when he watches her confused face; her eyebrows are furrowed and she has her head slightly tilted. He walks to the big bedroom door, but stops when he has the handle in his hand. He faces her again. "I love your outfit by the way." A wicked grin – that was waiting under the surface – spreads across his face.

_Outfit?_ Bonnie lets her eyes look down at her clothes. Her eyes widen in chock. _This is _not _the clothes I had yesterday!_ She isn't wearing her wedding dress anymore, instead she has a white – too transparent – nightgown. She didn't think of changing clothes yesterday, but – for the love of god – she didn't think someone would change her clothes for her.

"Did you do this?!" she screams at him.

This time it's his turn to roll his eyes. "Oh, please, haven't you read any books? It's never the dude that changes the clothes, but the female _always _questions his innocence."

"So- so you didn't change my clothes?" she asks to clarify and gives him a scowl.

"No", he confirms. His beautiful hand twists the door open and steps out of the room. Bonnie can hear him take two steps, stop, turn around and then pop his head back into the room. "Or _did_ I?" he jokes with a wicked grin. "And don't forget breakfast in the kitchen." This time he really goes away, and she can finally breathe with ease again.

A small smile is painted on her face. This means – if he really didn't change her clothes – that there is someone else in this house, people that she can have on her side if needed.

The floor is cold under her feet when she slowly leaves the warm bed. It may be a wooden floor but it is like ice. Her toes curl because of the freezing floor and her hands – that a moment ago was in fists – rubs her upper arms when a shiver goes through her body, but the pain in her left hand makes her immediately stop. She looks back at the bed with longing in her eyes, but doesn't let herself to go back to it.

The hours she was awake gave her time to observe the bedroom, but it's not much to see. The room is painted a red color with furniture in oak and the only light source she can see is the big window.  
There is no personal belongings in the room; there is nothing that can tell her what kind of man Malachai Parker is.

However it's not that detail that makes Bonnie furrow her eyebrows; she has a bigger problem. _Where is her clothes?_ She vaguely recalls her mother saying that her garments were going to be sent to her new home, but they are not here – not even her wedding dress is in the room.

Trying to find the clothes is useless Bonnie realizes when she has – for the second time – lifted on the mattress to search for the clothes; she simply cannot find them anywhere.

She turns her head with narrowed eyes and stares at the bedroom-door. She has to open the door and face whatever that may come at her when she leaves the bedchamber.

"Go for it, Bonnie. It's only a door", she encourages herself as she tip-toes her way toward the door. "Only. A. Door." She straightens her back and lays her hand on the handle. One twist is all she needs to do. So why is it so hard? "Do it, Bonnie", she commands. "Do. It."

The door makes no sound; it doesn't protest. She lets the handle go and steps out into a small corridor. _So far nothing terrifying._ A short laugh escapes from her mouth, a prisoner she thought was long forgotten and rotten in some cell inside of her.

There is two doors besides the bedroom-door, and she takes a chance with opening the first one – it's a white door on the left side of the corridor – but it's only a bathroom. A quick glance is all she gives it before she moves along and opens the other one.

Bingo.

She has stepped into a big dining room; the room smells like a bakery, it's as if someone baked the most delicious bread right on the big table standing in the middle of the room. Then she looks upon a misplaced furniture – a sofa standing in a lonely corner.

She can't help herself from going to it, and it's like she suspected – the sofa is, indeed, burned. Some cushions are black, swallowed by fire, and the distinct scent of smoke fills her nostrils. Bonnie – even though it's a sofa – feels badfor it. It looks so abandoned; it's burned and left in a corner.

"Nice sofa, isn't?" a grinning devil laughs. It doesn't take more than a second for Kai to stand right in front of Bonnie.

"I would have to disagree", she objects and crosses her arms over her chest. Her green eyes meets his; he is so close that she has to tilt her head back to be able to see his face.

"You are hungry, right?"

"Well, no- I mean, yes- but I was thinking about my clo-" she begins to explain, but Kai interrupts.

"You should eat first."

"No, I-" she tries to persuade him, but, unfortunately, her stomach growls at that very moment and ruins her argument.

He grabs her by the arm and drags her with him, but not without first giving her a knowing look that says: '_I told you so__'_. They walk past a few rooms – a small corridor, a library and some closed doors – before they arrive to the kitchen. It's not very big, but it is actually kind of adorable with its flower decors, painted walls in yellow and a tiny table with even tinier chairs. Her husband doesn't fit in; he is way to tall, his head almost hit the door frame when he walked in, and his devilish appearance is a big contrast from the cute, normal kitchen.

Kai brushes past her and picks up a plate with bread from a table. "Here." He gives her the plate and she eagerly accepts it.

"Thanks", she mumbles and with one hand pulls out a chair to sit on. The bread makes her mouth water and she quickly stuffs her mouth full with the heavenly loaf.

Malachai lets his gaze wander over her with a pleased smile, happy that she is eating. She closes her eyes for a brief second and lays her left hand over her lips to stop food from falling out of her mouth, but this makes him see the big knife wound in her palm, and his smile dies.

"How's your hand?"

She looks up at him, her cheeks filled with bread, and then looks down on her hand. Her hand is not really burning anymore, it's more of a numb pain, the kind of pain lying under the surface.  
She swallows. "My hand is fine thank you", she assures. It takes her a moment, but eventually she asks: "Umm, how about you? Your hand?"

"Oh, my hand is fine", he grins with sparkling eyes. "You already care about me, huh?"

_Yeah, you wish. _She snorts at him. "You asked so I asked you back, that doesn't mean anything."

"If you say so, Bonnie", he mocks with a short and quiet laugh. "If you say so."

* * *

_The giant is back._

_"No, Bonnie, you can't hurt him, and you will not hurt him", the giant commands his young successor. "Hurting him with magic is out of question!"_

_"Because he is stronger than I am?" she ask her father._

_"Why do you ask this, Bonnie? Why do you insist on bringing this up?" he yells._

_She flinches but answers his questions with the best answer she can come up with. "'cause he might be an evil man."_

_"Why would you think that?"_

_"Mama said so. She said-"_

_"Don't listen to your mother", he cuts her off, but he doesn't look into her eyes anymore. "I am only going to say this once, so listen carefully." His daughter nods and he continues. "You have very limited methods to protect yourself; you can't use magic, Bonnie, because you will swear to protect _him _in sickness and in health."_

_"But how does that stop me from using magic on him?"_

_She didn't ask because he may be stronger than her or that she wouldn't have the guts to hurt him – she knew she would hurt him without blinking if it was needed – but because in three years she will be married to a man without any weaknesses that she knows of._

"You can _use magic, but not magic that can hurt him. In _any _way", the giant threatens. "The oath was made with magic and therefore magic can't hurt it. If you do use magic to hurt him..."_

"_What, papa?"_

"If _you do then you will break your promise, the blood oath, and I can't tell you what would happen."_

"_Why?"_

_"Because-" A pause. "no one has survived to tell us."_

* * *

_**A/N: Thank you for reading chapter 3 :) Hope you enjoyed, and if you have any questions: ask away :)  
Sry this one took awhile :/ But may we met again in the next chapter!**_

If you were wondering:  
Bonnies age in the flashbacks: about five years old in the first one and then around 15-16 years old in the second flashback.


	4. Cards, Cheshire Cats and Slaps

Her hand makes a last journey from the plate to her mouth – filling her mouth with the last piece of bread. She is stalling. She knows she is, but she can't help herself from taking a few seconds more on every bite of the bread. 'Cause she's very much aware that a silence will fall over them when she's done. The silence that you feel compelled to break with awkward small talk – like the one you have with your grumpy grandpa on Christmas, when there is no more traditions to survive and follow, and you're just sitting there waiting for someone to break the silence.

She swallows – resisting the urge to pretend she is still chewing on something. She hears the noise of a glass with water sliding on the table toward her and she quickly grabs it, thankful she has yet another reason to ignore her husband, and drinks the water.

She puts the glass down. "Thank you", she mumbles. She meets his gaze, waiting for some sort of 'you're welcome' or 'no problem', but he's just quietly watching her. "Why are you staring at me?" she sighs.

"Am I not allowed to look at my own wife?" he replies.

"That card is becoming really old, Malachai." Bonnie rests her chin on her hand.

"What card?" He sits down on the chair across the table, and mimics her actions. His voice is innocent, but his smile is giving him away.

"The 'my wife'-card."

Kai snorts at her. "I don't use 'cards', the only things I will ever use are my powers and my charm." He winks, eyes sparkling. "You are quite familiar with the last one, right, Bonnie?"

"I don't find you very charming" she huffs.

"Well, now you are just mean" he says, however his expression hasn't changed; his mouth is a wolfish grin with eyes conveying his amusement.

"'Truthful words are not beautiful, beautiful words are not truthful.'"

"Wow, well hello, Shakespeare", her husband teases.

"Not Shakespeare, Lao Tzu actually", she corrects him with a fake smile. "So... the matter about the clothes", she changes subject. "Where are they?"

"They should arrive soon", he answers vaguely. He tilts his head – like a dog listening to his mistress or master.

"How soon is soon?" She clenches her teeth. "I can't walk around like-" she gestures toward her nightgown. "this."

Kai lets his gaze inspect her, careful not to linger with his eyes on some places, and then shrugs. "I guess you can borrow some clothes from me in the meantime."

Her eyes widen a bit by his words. "Eh, thank you I guess", she stammers.

She didn't expect him to offer hit, at least not offering something like that without a weird comment.  
Her fingers fidget with the water glass and she bites her lower lip.  
She stops immediately when she hears a chuckle from Kai.

"Nervous being around me again?" He bends over the table; his face now dangerously close.

Bonnie gives him a cold look. "You already know the answer to that."

He chuckles again, sits back down on his chair, and sends a lopsided grin her way. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't, but I won't give up so easily."

"Give what up exactly?"

He ignores her question; Bonnie shakes her head slightly at his lack of answer. It's like talking to a wall – or her parents.

* * *

They are – a few minutes later – standing in the bedroom again, looking for clothes. Kai had more or less dragged her like a sack of potatoes, trying to get the matter over with, after – as he describes it – 'almost nagging him to death' about the clothes, even though he sees no point in having clothes. At all. A comment not well received by his bride.

"How about this one?"

"No."

"What's wrong with this one?"

"I don't like the color", she points out with a shrug.

"Jesus, we have been married for less than two days and you're already killing me", he mutters under his breath, not letting Bonnie hear him. He goes back into the closet – a modest room inside the wall with a very well hidden door – to find something else.

The witch follows her husband into the room in hope that the task to find clothes will become easier. The space is minimal, but the two of them – thankfully – manage to fit.

"This one?" She turns her head to look at the pair of pants he's holding up. The fabric is soft in her hand when he gives her the garment.

"It's too big for me, but I guess I can roll up the legs a bit", she answers him with a smile.

She folds the pants neatly, and lets it rest on her arm while the search for a shirt continues. The first thing she noticed when she walked into the wardrobe: her husband seems to be fond of dark colors – with the exception of some blue here and there. Kai is at the moment standing over a drawer filled with t-shirts muttering things for himself; she can hear him from time to time mumble 'Too big' and then throw the shirt over his shoulder, leaving a mess behind him.

The drawer doesn't make a sound when she opens it, but she still glances at Kai in the corner of her eye to see if he's watching her. Can she trust him? She wants to, but... Another glance. Something isn't right. Why were the guests at their wedding so distant? Distant and fake. Is there something wrong with him – except from his dirty mind?

She closes the drawer, even though she didn't actually pay any attention if there was something useful in it.

"Ha!" she hears him burst out. There is a quiet 'thump' when the fabric hits her head; the smell of earth fills her nose and the room is no longer there because of the fabric in her vision.

She slowly grabs the clothing, and drags it down from her head, trying to contain her irritation. _'Try to get along' _she hears her fathers voice say in her mind, four words he repeatedly reminded her of.  
The piece of fabric in her hand is a gray t-shirt; she sees immediately that the shirt will be a bit too big for her, but it will have to do for now.

"Thanks", she tells the smiling man that threw it at her.

"No biggie", he says and puts his hands in his pockets, and rocks back and forth on his heels.

"Are you gonna stand there when I change?"

A Cheshire Cat grin appears on his face. "Do you want me to?"

Simple answer. "No."

"We're married, no?"

"So?" Heart pounding in her chest she quickly steps backwards, trying to have more space between them.

"So... it's only natural." The space between them quickly becomes nonexistent; one of his hands seeking its way to the hem of her nightgown. "I can help y-"

_Smack_. The sound of her hand connecting with his cheek echos, sharp and loud in her ears.

"I said no, didn't I, _husband_?" She swallows the tremble in her voice by hiding it with authority. Her hand is pulsating by the slap, a different pain from the pain in her other palm. She is waiting for harsh words – or a slap back – but neither comes at her.

"I knew you were", his voice trails off, but his eyes are on fire. "_fierce_." A chuckle. "I might even like you more now."

She flinches. _Huh?_ she thinks when he sees him walk out the door, leaving her to change.

"Just say my name if you want help", the Cheshire Cat laughs from outside. "I'm right here."

Bonnie quickly dresses; she drops the nightgown to the floor, and then quickly slips the t-shirt over her head and puts on the pants. The t-shirt is like a tent, but it's at least comfortable.

She stares down on her – still – bare feet. "Malachai?" A grunt answers her. "Do you have any socks?"

The door opens. "Yeah, why?"

She rolls her eyes. "I don't have any, and the floor is freezing."

"I have socks in the kitchen if you want a pair."

"Why do you have socks in the kitchen?" she asks with furrowed brows.

"That is a great question." He taps his finger on his chin. "Laundry day?" 

* * *

He still looks like a giant walking around in the kitchen she observes while sitting on a chair putting the socks on her ice cold feet. She puts down her feet and straightens her back.  
The t-shirt is sliding down her shoulder, revealing a lot of skin to the chilly air, and she can bet her left hand on that she saw Kai steal a glance of her when he thought she wasn't looking. _Perverted Gemini._

The sound of him pulling out the chair – the chair's wooden legs scratching the floor – is the only thing filling the silence.

"I need to discus something with y-"

"Parker?" a man voice yells – and interrupts Kai – far away. His yelling is distant as if it's coming from the other side of the house.

Bonnie jumps in her chair, heart thumping loud in her chest and her mind empty of anything else than the unknown person calling. "What was that?"

Her husband quickly raises from his chair, a frown taking over his smiling face. "Nothing you have to worry about." He's talking faster than he usually does; he seems to be in a haste. He's clearly trying to hide something from her.

The petite witch takes a leap toward the door – a move to find out who is calling on her

husband – but he blocks the door with his tall body.

"What are you hiding from me?" Her eyes narrow and she taps the floor with one foot to give him the sign to hurry up and let her through.

"It's surely someone who has mistakenly taken the wrong house."

"Is there a lot of people named "Parker" around here?" She asks impatiently and crosses her arms.

"We have a lot of neighbors, I don't know the name of them all." The lopsided grin of his suddenly reappears. "Besides, I don't need to know their names, when my wife is the only one important enough to remember."

"Don't try to charm your way out of this one", she warns him.

"I thought you said you didn't find me charming."

"Don't change the subject." A long nail pokes him in the chest. "Who is it?"

"No one, I promi-" Kai begins to assure her, but he gets interrupted by another shout from the visitor.

His wife raises an eyebrow. "It doesn't seem like it." She puts her hands on her hips, watching the Gemini wet his lips and clear his throat. "Are you not letting me through?" She takes his silence as a 'no'.

She may not know her husband very well – not at all actually – but it's common sense to know something is wrong when he blocks the door. Bonnie doesn't buy him not knowing who it is. Not for even a second. And thus she will have to take the matter in to her own hands.

"Yes?" she shouts – hoping it was loud enough to hear.

"Shit. Why would you do that?" Kai groans.

"I am a Parker too now, right, _husband_? The man is calling on 'Parker' which now includes me", she says; holding up her bruised hand as confirmation.

He gapes at her. "You're using the card."

"Sure am."

"I can't believe you. You're actually using the card." He shakes his head. "But I can't allow you to use that right now."

Without a heads up he covers her mouth with his big hand.

"'et meh go", she demands against his hand, but most of her words get muffled. _Let me go_. She's like a mouse in a the embrace of a snake; she can't move, flee or fight him. The snake inspects his catch, looking for signs of struggle, with alluring eyes. The mouse is not affected. "'tupid man, 'et meh go."

"If you promise you won't shout again." He leans forward – putting his forehead against hers.

Bonnie hesitates. She could refuse, but that would probably lead to him not letting her go, or she could promise not to, and then either break the promise or keep the promise. However if she does break the promise how will he react? Does she care how he would react? She stares into his eyes almost as she could find the answer to what she should do there.

"'ine, I p'omis'", she unwillingly agrees. Kai makes a short nod and then removes his hand from her lips.

"I know you're home, _Parker_", the voice continues to yell, but it's not coming much closer. "You can't hide from me, so get your ass out here!"

_Didn't he hear me?_ She thinks to herself. "Such hostility when he screams your name", she says slowly, then quickly adds with squinted eyes: "What did you do?"

He gasps, putting a hand to his heart, talking with a fake wavering to his voice. "Why do you think I've done something?"

_Drama queen._

The sound of the door breaking makes them both flee to the other side of the small kitchen. Bonnie's heart is thumping loudly in her chest and she can hear Kai's uneven breathing from the fright the stranger barging through the door gave them. The man is standing in the door opening, eyes wild and wide, breathing heavily. The smell of fire and alcohol oozes from him, but she recognizes him even though his appearance is different from the last time she saw him.

"_Parker_."

"Father", Kai answers stiffly.

Bonnie can only stare at the two men, how their cold gazes meet and their stone faces, with utter confusion. They are both named Parker, so why does her father-in-law call his son that?

"H-hello, Mr. Parker", she greets him and extends her hand.

Joshua Parker doesn't greet her back; he only snorts at her and gives her a cold stare.

"What brings you here, father?"

"What do you think?" his father snaps. "The coven brings me here. It's not as if I want to be here."

His son shrugs. "Good to know our feelings are mutual."

Joshua turns his head toward Bonnie, before snapping back to his son once more. "Now get that Bennett filth out of here."

And that's the moment when the house of the newly wed couple once again hears the sound of a slap echoing through its rooms and corridors.

* * *

**A/N: **_**Thanks once again for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter :)  
Any questions or comments? Ask and comment away!**_

_**No beta, so any mistakes are my mistakes  
May we meet in the next chapter!**_


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